Transcript: Senior WH Adviser Valerie Jarrett

Nov. 1, 2009

/ABC News

ABC NEWS, THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS INTERVIEW WITH SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER VALERIE JARRETT

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, HOST: It was one year ago this week that
Barack Obama made history with his sweeping win over John McCain. How
much has he changed the country? How much has the office changed him?
We have the "Roundtable" standing by to debate those questions and all
of the week's politics, including Harry Reid's role in the public
option, and the GOP civil war that has forced their nominee out of
Tuesday's congressional race in Upstate New York.

But first, let's check in with one of the president's closest
friends and advisers, White House counselor Valerie Jarrett.

VALERIE JARRETT, ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR INTERGOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS & PUBLIC LIAISON: Thank you, George. It's a pleasure to be
here.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me bring you back to one of -- probably one of
the best moments of your life, one year ago this week, when President
Obama accepted the verdict of the country's voters. Here is what he
said that night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, THEN-PRESIDENT-ELECT: Let's resist the temptation to
fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has
poisoned our politics for so long. And while the Democratic Party has
won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and
determination to heal the divide that have held back our progress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANOPOULOS: One year later, the president's economic plan has
passed, but with no Republican votes in the House, only three in the
Senate. It sure looks like right now no Republican support, the health
care bills, as they are going forward in the Congress.

And our polling shows that this partisan divide persists on issue
after issue after issue. Why has that core promise of the president's
campaign, healing the divide, gone unfulfilled?

JARRETT: Well, you should ask that question to the Republican
Party. I mean, frankly, just listening to the president's words again,
it brought back terrific memories, and I think his message was a
profound one. And he has stayed true to that message. He has reached
out. He has listened. He has reached across the aisle.

Just recently meeting with both the Democrats -- the Republicans and
the Democrats in both the House and in the Senate. His effort has been
sustained throughout the year. And the fact...

STEPHANOPOULOS: So the president bears no responsibility for the
failure to get Republican votes?

JARRETT: Well, I think -- I think what we look to the president to
do is to lead by example. He has reached out. He has listened. He has
included very helpful advice from the Republicans when it has been
forthcoming. But the fact...

STEPHANOPOULOS: But not their ideas in the legislation..

JARRETT: Well, actually, that's not true. There have been examples
of where he has included their ideas. And ultimately whether they vote
for a piece of legislation or not, doesn't mean that it hasn't been an
open and fruitful process.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So the president doesn't feel he needs to change
the way he does business at all, to reach out more to Republicans, to
get more Republicans buy-in?